Who will partner Rooney?

This time last year the question about who would partner Wayne Rooney up front for England didn’t exist.

Emile Heskey was Fabio Capello’s preferred choice and was playing well enough for his club to deserve a starting spot.

But the intervening Premier League season has fudged the issue. Heskey has hardly featured for Aston Villa, while England’s other striking options, Jermaine Defoe and Peter Crouch, have had successful seasons with Spurs.

The calls for Heskey to be dropped are intensifying. Some commentators have even suggested that Joe Cole or Steven Gerrard should play just behind Rooney.

Yet despite all the debate,, it is almost a certainty that the Italian will start with the partnership that worked so well for England in the qualifiers.

USA Striking Options

The United States has a number of talented strikers. If only they could keep them healthy enough to play.

First there was Charlie Davies, whose long recovery from last year’s tragic car accident didn’t happen in time to make coach Bob Bradley’s 23-man roster.

Then bright young hope Jozy Altidore twisted an ankle in training and is struggling to be fit for this opening match against England.

But Bradley still has options. Fulham’s Clint Dempsey frequently plays as a forward for his club side, and some US fans are hoping that LA Galaxy’s Edson Buddle will get a long-awaited opportunity to make an impression.

With England bedding in a new central defensive partnership following the injury to captain Rio Ferdinand, the match might feature an opportunity for a new American striker to become a hero.

The Confederations Cup factor

Last summer the US national team surprised the world with a run to the final of the Confederations Cup in South Africa.

Although the team started the tournament slowly, Bradley’s men hit their stride with a stunning 2-0 win over European champions Spain in the semifinal.

They even led Brazil by two goals in the final before eventually succumbing to the South Americans' superiority.

Now the US returns to the country where they achieved so much and the familiarity of the surroundings, and the psychological boost of such good memories may give the players the advantage they need to surprise England.